About Us

Experience the Exotic

The fresh vegetables that Halfords Exotic Produce bring to you have their origins
in the Inca empire over 600 years ago.

The Incas were not only superb political organisers, they were skilful agriculturalists,
too. They cultivated about 80 food crops: more than the farmers of Asia or Europe
did. They farmed so successfully that they kept thousands of stone warehouses
and silos piled high with food.

In 1869 Mr W. Jameson, the great-grandfather of Mr Peter Halford, came out
from England to join the colonial police force. During a layover in Chile he
picked up some yam tubers and brought them with him to New Zealand, planting
them in Wanganui. The Halfords have been growing them ever since.

Commercial production of yams began in the 1960’s, with Mr Peter Halford
establishing the first markets for a vegetable that was hardly known by the
majority of New Zealanders. Continuing in the same tradition, the next generation
of the family are now actively involved in Halford’s Exotic Produce. With
the same skill and sensitivity as the Indians of the Andes we bring to you exotic
produce that is unique to New Zealand.